New bar near sub base offers craft beer, live music, outdoor seating and more
Groton — The owners of The Hop Yard opened their new bar in the spot of the former Rotten Apple — adjacent to Wings 'n' Pies, and near the Naval Submarine Base — but the interior and the vibe are much different.
Niki Walker and Mike Sarcia gutted the inside, added a kitchen, constructed a stage for live music, added two new pool tables, raised the ceiling and hung many Edison lightbulbs, painted the walls from lime green to orange, renovated the bathrooms, moved the beer taps, and moved the outdoor seating from the side to the back, adding a wooden picket fence.
Walker said she always wanted to own a bar with live music and took the plunge with Sarcia, a friend who rides motorcycles with her husband. Sarcia was in construction for 30 years and Walker worked as a surgical technologist, but now they're all in on the bar.
They opened The Hop Yard, which has 20 craft beers on tap, in mid-June. They try to keep many of their beers local, with offerings from Beer'd, Grey Sail and Two Roads.
Walker said she makes sure she always has a brew that's a good introduction to craft beer, for those who may just be accustomed to drinking Bud Light — or for Navy men accustomed to beers that are popular elsewhere in the country but not here.
The menu includes a few chicken, steak and vegetarian pressed sandwiches on focaccia, with the kitchen open until 10 p.m. But until 11:30 p.m. on weekends, patrons can also order soft pretzels, which come with house-made beer cheese, using the beers on tap, or nachos from the late-night menu. There are military discounts on the food.
The Hop Yard seats 76, between the bar, small tables and booths. It has so far had performances from The Ben Charles Band, The Patrones, 5 lb Sledge, Katie Perkins and more, with performers signing the wall behind them. It's mostly a mix of rock and country.
Walker and Sarcia are trying to have live music every Friday and either music or karaoke on Saturdays, with trivia on Sundays. The six TVs around the bar might be showing NASCAR, soccer and football, so "pretty much anybody can find what they're looking for," Sarcia said.
The outdoor area includes two fire pit tables surrounded by colorful Adirondack chairs, a sectional in one corner, and a cornhole set.
Overall, Walker said she wanted something like the feel of Westerly, where she used to live and Sarcia still lives. She wanted to attract people in their 20s and 30s, and to create a place where everybody can feel comfortable.
Walker also commented, "A lot of women feel really comfortable coming in, which is what I wanted."
In the future, she and Sarcia envision having a pool league, cornhole tournaments, whiskey tastings, car and motorcycle shows in the parking lot, and Navy fundraisers.
Business Snapshot
Business: The Hop Yard
Where: 924 CT-12, Groton
Owners: Niki Walker and Mike Sarcia
Hours: 4 p.m.-midnight (or later if it's busy) Tuesday-Thursday, noon-2 a.m. Friday and Saturday, noon-midnight Sunday, closed Monday
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